HIPAA
Name, DOB, Address, SSN, MA number, and diagnoses are all examples of what kind of information?
What is PHI? Protected Health Information
Your client, Mr. Wallace, has been seeing you for a few months now. Wallace's wife calls and wants to pick up his records. What do you do?
-Can't confirm that's Mrs. Wallace
-Can't confirm nor deny you see Mr. Wallace
-Request that Mrs. Wallace talk with Mr. Wallace and have him complete a medical release form. She can still pick it up, if Mr. Wallace consents to that.
HITECH stands for...
Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act.
HIPAA stands for...
What is Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act?
-Hang up, dial the direct line. We cannot confirm that it is truly a representative, it might be a scammer.
This is Connecticut's statewide system for Health Information Exchange.
What is Connie?
This rule is a set of federal regulations that sets national standards for protecting individuals' personal health information.
What is the Privacy Rule?
At work on your work computer.
Why was HITECH enacted?
It was made to increase patient rights over their electronic protected health information (ePHI), increased restrictions over disclosure of PHI, and increased fines and penalties for HIPAA violations, brought funding for compliance audits.
This is defined as a health plan, a health provider, a health clearing house (or a database)
What is a common entity?
One of your coworkers saves their files containing PHI on a USB. One morning, they tell you that they lost it on the train. This USB has over 200 clients' PHI! What should they do? What should you do?
-Ask if the USB is encrypted or password protected.
Bonus 100pts: They tell you it's not... now what?
True or False? All incidents regarding improper disclosure of PHI qualify as a breach.
False. Incidents that pose a low risk of harm (ex: incidental disclosures, unintentional internal disclosures with no further disclosure, impermissible access and retraction where individual is not expected to remember the info) to the client/patient and do not qualify as a breach.
In CT, this Health Information Exchange (HIE) is a secure electronic way for health care providers and organizations to share clinical information about their patients is called...
What is CONNIE?
You're stressed. You're on a time crunch to complete your notes. One of your coworkers says that they use AI to write their treatment notes. What do you do?
-If you do, you must de-identify your patient.
What are 3 ways to ensure you/your agency are HITECH compliant.
- Use secure systems
- Control access
- Written policies
- Train staff
- Business associate agreements
- Breach notification
- Regular audits
- Informed consent